Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Sundance Celebrates Father's Day with Father Knows West Stunt; Remembering Michu Meszaros of ALF and Janet Waldo, the Voice of Judy Jetson
SundanceTV celebrates Father's Day with a "Father Knows West" marathon featuring beloved Westerns, including some classic Clint Eastwood films and the iconic TV series The Rifleman, on Sunday, June 19th at 6:00 AM EST/5:00 AM CST. The festivities begin at sun-up with ten back-to-back episodes of the The Rifleman, starring Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford, followed by Joe Kidd, The Outlaw Josey Wales and Unforgiven. The schedule has The Rifleman from 6am-4pm, Joe Kidd, The Outlaw Josey Wales and Unforgivenfrom 4pm-12am. An encore of The Outlaw Josey Wales and Unforgiven will air from 12am-6am.
Hungarian-born actor and circus performer Michu Meszaros, the man inside the costume in ALF, has died. He died on June 13 at a Los Angeles hospital. He was discovered on his bathroom floor by his manager Dennis Varga in a comatose state last week. He had suffered numerous health issues since a stroke eight years ago. Mr. Meszaros was 76.
Meszaros was a member of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus beginning in 1973 as the former "smallest man in the world". He trained and presented a dog act with white Standard Poodles. He was 2 feet 9 inches tall.
He wore the full-body costume of ALF during the first season of the series. Meszaros was used where scenes of ALF walking, running, or standing were required. He can be seen in the first season intro when he walks over to be part of the photo with the Tanner family. An ALF puppet was used for the half-body shots. Series creator Paul Fusco provided the voice of ALF.
In 1991, he guest starred as Mishka in an episode of Dear John. His film credits included Waxwork, Big Top Pee-wee, Warlock: The Armageddon and Freaked. He was a stunt double for Mikey in Look Who's Talking.
Actress Janet Waldo, who provided the voice of Judy Jetson in The Jetsons, has died. She died on June 12 at her home in Encino, California. She had been diagnosed with a benign but inoperable brain tumor five years earlier, according to her family. Ms. Waldo was 96.
Waldo's early television guest appearances included I Love Lucy, The Phil Silvers Show, The Lucy Show and The Andy Griffith Show. She appeared in various roles, including five episodes as Janet, in The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet from 1953-1965.
She starred as Libby Freeman in the short-lived 1964-1965 ABC sitcom Valentine's Day. Some of her later sitcom guest appearances included Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Get Smart, Petticoat Junction and Julia.
Waldo provided the voice of Judy Jetson in all versions of The Jetsons except Jetsons the Movie. The teenage daughter Judy attended Orbit High School. The series aired on ABC for one season in 1962-1963 before new episodes began airing in syndication in 1985-1987.
She provided the voice of Nancy in Shazzan. She voiced Penelope Penelope Pitstop in Wacky Races and the spin-off The Perils of Penelope Pitstop. Waldo was the voice of Josie in Josie and the Pussycats. She provided the voice of Princess/Susan in Battle of the Planets.
Some of her other voice work included The Flintstones, The Atom Ant Show, The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, The Addams Family, Inch High, Private Eye, Jeannie, Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels, Alvin & the Chipmunks and The Smurfs.
We thank them for the entertainment they brought us over the years. They will be deeply missed.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Monday, March 18
The Neighborhood - (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bob Hearts Abishola - "Worth the Cooties" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
After Christina kicks Abishola and Dottie out for making light of her pre-pregnancy preparations, Christina bonds with Douglas and Abishola spends a fun day with Dottie. Also, when Bob, Goodwin and Kofo are stumped on a work issue, Bob insists they go out to lunch to loosen up.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 18)
Monday, March 18
- Christina Applegate (Dead to Me/Up All Night/Samantha Who?/Jesse/Married with Children) - Watch Christina on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Carrie Preston (Crowded/Happyish/Emeril) - Carrie is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Rachel Dratch (Grimsburg/Imaginary Mary/30 Rock) - Rachel appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Sasheer Zamata (Home Economics/Woke/Robbie) and John Hodgman (Up Here/Married) - Sasheer and John are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg (Two and a Half Men/Jenny) - Jenny appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
- Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa will be on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am.
- Brett Gelman (Camping/Fleabag/Married/Go On) - Brett talks about The Terrifying Realm of the Possible: Nearly True Stories on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am.
- William Shatner ($h*! My Dad Says) - NBC's Today catches up with William in the 9am hour.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)
11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/15 - Letterkenny - Season 11
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
12/22 - Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection (includes The Ropers and Three's a Crowd)
01/09 - South Park - Seasons 11-15 (Blu-ray)
01/16 - Ghosts (UK) - Season Five
02/13 - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/27 - The Really Loud House - Season One
03/12 - Ghosts (UK) - The Complete Series
03/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
03/12 - Rick and Morty - Season 7 (Blu-ray Steelbook) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
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